Take Me Out to the Ballgame this August

For men of a certain age, August means only one thing: baseball. This month, reclaim the American pastime at the 6,000-plus seat Roger Dean Stadium in Abacoa.

Roger Dean and its two home teams, the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Palm Beach Cardinals, have a full slate of games and events leading up to the Florida State League postseason, which begins September 3. Currently, the Cardinals are tied for first with the Charlotte Stone Crabs (Tampa Bay Rays’ Single A team) for the southern division and have a chance to play the third-place team to advance to the championship series.

Between the Hammerheads and the Cardinals, Roger Dean will host 29 home games in August in the lead-up to the start of the FSL Championship Series. And while every game is worth a trip down to the old ballpark, a few stand out this month as must-attends:

Two of the remaining “Super 6” games—premium promotional games—are slated in the schedule, starting on August 10, when Roger Dean and the Jupiter Hammerheads celebrate every child’s dread with a special game dedicated to the coming school year. Back to School Night will probably be the most enjoyable school supply-shopping trip ever. The first 500 kids, ages 15 and younger, will receive a complimentary backpack, while vendor booths will line the concourse, each hocking back-to-school supplies.

Head to the Dean for Movies in the Outfield (not part of the Super 6 promotions) on August 17. Crosstown rivals Jupiter Hammerheads and St. Lucie Mets start things off at 5:35 p.m., followed by a free screening of Star Trek: Into Darkness. There will be concession specials during the movie, and we suggest bringing a padded seat cushion.

Wrapping Roger Dean’s 2013 Super 6 promotional games, August 24 is going tropical for the Tiki Bash. This Jimmy Buffett-style event will transform the ballpark into an island oasis, complete with tropical tunes (a steady dose of steel drums and reggae will be on tap), cheeseburgers (like that song) and island-inspired sips (because nothing says baseball like a Blue Hawaiian). It’s a chance to dust off that awful floral shirt and not look like a kook. VIP tickets cost $35 ($30 in advance).